Challenging the mainstream view that feedback seeking is beneficial to newcomers, our research distinguishes the effect of positive and negative feedback seeking and examines how and when they facilitate or harm newcomers’ career development. Combining person perception perspective with the social role and backlash theory, this study explores the effects of newcomers’ negative and positive feedback-seeking on supervisors’ perceptions of liking and competence, as well as the subsequent career reward recommendations. Using a multi-source and multi-wave design, we found that newcomers’ negative feedback seeking positively influenced supervisors’ liking and competence perceptions, while positive feedback seeking had a negative effect. Supervisors’ perceptions, in turn, positively predicted career reward recommendations for the newcomers. Furthermore, the results revealed the moderating role of newcomers’ gender. In particular, the positive effects of negative feedback seeking and the negative effects of positive feedback seeking on liking perception were stronger for female newcomers. However, the moderating role of gender was not significant for competence perceptions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
